Will be interesting to see what changes in the world post-pandemic, and the pre- post-pandemic stage, will become long lasting or permanent.
Most of the changes will likely be transitional, masks in stores and on planes, etc., but some will be the new normal; no more handshaking, blowing out candles on cakes, etc. perhaps.

Here's a few headlines that highlight some of the early attempts at adapting, likely not long lasting, but some interesting ones where we all start to doing more in our cars...Drive-in movies for ex may be making a temporary comeback. Interesting to learn that they initially became popular in the fifties during the polio scare.

Drive-in movies are proving popular in a pandemic—just like 70 years ago
[qz.com]

‘Blast from the past’: Some drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback amid coronavirus
[www.cnbc.com]

Drive-In Concerts Are Now a Thing in Denmark
[consequenceofsound.net]

Drive-thru strip clubs are a thing now, thanks to coronavirus
[www.mic.com]

Theaters Prepare to Reopen with TSA-Style Check-in, Temperature Screenings, and Plexiglass
[www.indiewire.com]

^^^^

I'm hoping this becomes the new trend....

[bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com]

I wonder if car-hopping will make more of a comeback..this is another "blast from the past". There are still a few of these places left and you really can dine out and practice social distancing at the same time.

I used to this this during the summer many years ago when I was in college. Even traditional dine-in restaurants can convert to this type of service during the warmer weather.

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GasLightStreet
like the idiots in Michigan and now Georgia and Louisiana, are more concerned about liberty than living even though the stay at home orders are constitutionally protected.

Which is quite entertaining, because all the flag wavers... don't they love the constitution?

Let me educate you and then perhaps you can post informed opinions. It isn't a question of if the orders are constitutionally protected. It's a question of if their continued use is NECESSARY or an abuse of power. The stated objective for the orders was "to flatten the curve". That objective was met nearly a month ago. Now they want to move the goalposts and claim the orders are necessary until (fill in the blank with secondary and tertiary reasons). How about hell no?

Social Distancing enforcement in NYC. It's for your own good.

[www.facebook.com]

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StonedInTokyo

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GasLightStreet
like the idiots in Michigan and now Georgia and Louisiana, are more concerned about liberty than living even though the stay at home orders are constitutionally protected.

Which is quite entertaining, because all the flag wavers... don't they love the constitution?

Let me educate you and then perhaps you can post informed opinions. It isn't a question of if the orders are constitutionally protected. It's a question of if their continued use is NECESSARY or an abuse of power. The stated objective for the orders was "to flatten the curve". That objective was met nearly a month ago. Now they want to move the goalposts and claim the orders are necessary until (fill in the blank with secondary and tertiary reasons). How about hell no?

How about hell yes?
Flattening the coronavirus curve: It's happening, but it's not over yet

When it comes to COVID-19, social distancing has many benefits for our collective health -- but it also brings burdensome consequences for the economy. While distancing is a critical tool that "flattens the curve," it's a temporary measure to curb the pandemic while more durable solutions are implemented.

As some states near an infection "plateau," public health experts are stressing that we still must continue to socially distance -- no matter the challenges it brings.

“It appears that we have a plateau. It is flattening. It’s the flattening of the curve,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said this week. “The increase has slowed down; it flattens out for a period of time. Nobody knows how long, because nobody's been here before.”
[abcnews.go.com]

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says his company Berkshire Hathaway has sold all of its shares in the four largest US airlines.

Speaking at the annual shareholders' meeting, Mr Buffett said "the world has changed" because of the coronavirus.

He then said he had been wrong to invest in the airline industry.

Warren Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway sells US airline shares (BBC 3 May 2020)

Warren Buffett is considered one of the most successful investors in the world and has a net worth of US$88.9 billion as of December 2019, making him the fourth-wealthiest person in the world. (Wikipedia)

Bjornulf

Industries in trouble, both because of the virus and climate changes:

- Airlines
- Cruise ships

Sure we do need airliners for essential travel, but I can't see the sustainability of flying for 3-4 hours at a cost of $100, just for the pleasure of whatever reason.

Cruise ships are even worse. You don't need them to do business. They ruin every city they visit. They are bad for the environment. They are a virus trap.

The corona virus crisis makes it easier to see certain things.

Just a personal opinion.

Bjornulf

They say The Black Death came with ships, The Spanish Flu with the railways and the Corona virus with air traffic. The ways of communication changes but viruses stay the same (well, almost).

Good article about the Gates Foundation efforts

Gates

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StonedInTokyo

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GasLightStreet
like the idiots in Michigan and now Georgia and Louisiana, are more concerned about liberty than living even though the stay at home orders are constitutionally protected.

Which is quite entertaining, because all the flag wavers... don't they love the constitution?

Let me educate you and then perhaps you can post informed opinions. It isn't a question of if the orders are constitutionally protected. It's a question of if their continued use is NECESSARY or an abuse of power. The stated objective for the orders was "to flatten the curve". That objective was met nearly a month ago. Now they want to move the goalposts and claim the orders are necessary until (fill in the blank with secondary and tertiary reasons). How about hell no?

You don't live in the US. Your uninformed opinion doesn't matter in the slightest as to what happens here. You know the old saying: opinions are like a-holes, everyone has one and/or is one.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-03 21:29 by crholmstrom.

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StonedInTokyo

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GasLightStreet
like the idiots in Michigan and now Georgia and Louisiana, are more concerned about liberty than living even though the stay at home orders are constitutionally protected.

Which is quite entertaining, because all the flag wavers... don't they love the constitution?

Let me educate you and then perhaps you can post informed opinions. It isn't a question of if the orders are constitutionally protected. It's a question of if their continued use is NECESSARY or an abuse of power. The stated objective for the orders was "to flatten the curve". That objective was met nearly a month ago. Now they want to move the goalposts and claim the orders are necessary until (fill in the blank with secondary and tertiary reasons). How about hell no?

You're saying the curve has been flattend in the US, or the states mentioned, a month ago? I think it's going in the opposite direction.

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Bellajane
I wonder if car-hopping will make more of a comeback..this is another "blast from the past". There are still a few of these places left and you really can dine out and practice social distancing at the same time.

I used to this this during the summer many years ago when I was in college. Even traditional dine-in restaurants can convert to this type of service during the warmer weather.

We've got a few places doing this in the Seattle area. Sadly no roller skates.

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StonedInTokyo

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daspyknows
I do find it interesting that Boris Johnson's perspective changed after being sick. Some of the right wingnuts on here and throughout the US show how self centered many Americans are. Too bad this virus can't only infect the virus deniers. Those are the people who will keep the curve going up. It has only been flattened in a few places.

Johnson's perspective changed because he like many others realize the mathematical modelling approach that was taken has failed. Their national strategy for testing has also failed.

You call Americans self centered and then wish the virus upon them. THAT to me is the epitome of self-centeredness. You just can't accept the fact the whole @#$%& world is NOT going to do it your way, for many reasons, so you wish death on them.

It is not MY way. It is what doctors and scientists recommend. If that is being self centered you are even more ignorant than I thought.

For the umpteen time I am referring to Boris reopening up NOW. You keep going back to before the UK shut down.

Countries that are ignoring science due to stupidity, lack of resources or both are going to have a real hard time and many people are going to die. Obviously human life doesn't mean too much to you.

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stickyfingers101

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daspyknows

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StonedInTokyo

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daspyknows
Please do us all a favor, find someone sick with coronavirus, give them a kiss on their lips and come back at the end of the month and tell us what you think we should do. You really don't get it and you equating this to drunk driving proves your lack of comprehension. If your neighbor is drunk driving and kills you while you are getting the mail you won't need a car.

You need to wake up and smell the coffee. The survivability rate for people who contract this damn virus is about 99.6%. So AT MOST the odds of my going out to dinner resulting in the death of someone else from COVID-19 is about .4%. What is the timeline on recovery from a simultaneous loss of job, loss of home, prolonged US recession and/or global depression?

I reject Stay Home Save Lives. I promote Get Outside. Preserve Your Liberty. As a by the way, doing so builds herd immunity.

Have you had Covid19? I have. I would not wish it upon anyone I care about. Anyone who seems to talk about a 99.6% survival rate really needs to catch it and see whether they still feel the same way or more effective, see the person who you care most about go through it.

Frankly, I should in theory have immunity so I am at a much lower risk so I can go out. Those who trivialize it like you probably would think differently after having it.

You keep making the argument that people need to catch Corona in order to make informed commentary about the lockdown/closures...

fair enough....I don't agree with you, but that's fine.

However, by the exact same logic, maybe you need to lose your job, business, home, health care....etc. etc. in order to understand the economic impact of forced-closure...

if that happened to you (or was about to happen to you)...maybe you'd understand the "ease the lockdown" perspective better?

Not all of us are "right wing nuts" and gun-toting bearded-dudes the media focuses on...

some of us care about those middle-lower-and-working class Americans being evicted (or who will be evicted soon enough)...among other economic crises they now face as a result of forced-closures....aren't these the very people "liberals" purport to care about?


[abcnews.go.com]

[www.marketwatch.com]

[www.clarionledger.com]

[www.readingeagle.com]

[whyy.org]

[www.buzzfeednews.com]

[www.citymetric.com]

[time.com]

Actually I have. My business does not generate any income now. I did make some smart business decisions in the past so I can get through it. I admit that so I will not have the same perspective in that regard. I have many friends who are in that situation though. I have helped some of them out where I can. Its the same thing they would do for me. The reality is once things get out of control again there will either be a second lockdown or most people will not return to their previous spending patterns. If you own a restaurant, hotel, bar airline related business opening up at 25% will not sustain the business long term either.

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bv
Industries in trouble, both because of the virus and climate changes:

- Airlines
- Cruise ships

Sure we do need airliners for essential travel, but I can't see the sustainability of flying for 3-4 hours at a cost of $100, just for the pleasure of whatever reason.

Cruise ships are even worse. You don't need them to do business. They ruin every city they visit. They are bad for the environment. They are a virus trap.

The corona virus crisis makes it easier to see certain things.

Exactly! Now we've got the chance to remember some basics.

It remains to be seen, but the thinking in the UK is that Boris Johnson's decisions about easing the current lockdown will be tempered by his recent near-death experience, which he spoke about today in an interview (with the Sun newspaper) and apparently became uncharacteristically upset at one point. Understandable, as doctors were preparing to announce his death and just as he was about become a new father again, too.

Our friend daspyknows no doubt fully empathizes with all that and speaks on here from a perspective that I'm sure none of us would volunteer for. All due respect to him or her [Edit: Just to avoid any misunderstanding, this is a general comment and not one in response to the one above, which I only saw after posting this].

What also remains to be seen in the UK is the scientific advice that Boris decides to act on. The government's former chief scientific advisor, Sir David King, has now set up a rival panel of experts that aims to offer unbiased advice about the way forward. The UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), which meets in secret, has 23 members and the word is that 16 of them are employed by the government, so there has been growing unease about lack of transparency.

This new independent expert panel is having its first meeting tomorrow, which will be broadcast live at noon on YouTube and Twitter and will take advice from global experts. No idea how it's going to be received, but let's see.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-04 01:51 by Beast.

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bv
Industries in trouble, both because of the virus and climate changes:

- Airlines
- Cruise ships

Sure we do need airliners for essential travel, but I can't see the sustainability of flying for 3-4 hours at a cost of $100, just for the pleasure of whatever reason.

Cruise ships are even worse. You don't need them to do business. They ruin every city they visit. They are bad for the environment. They are a virus trap.

The corona virus crisis makes it easier to see certain things.

Just a personal opinion.

So no more flying to see The Stones is and when they tour again BV?

Rod

The corona virus crisis makes it easier to see certain things.


YES Bjornulf ..... Never a truer word spoken .....



ROCKMAN

Democrats in the US are corrupt group.

Unlike the crazy Mayor of Vegas and her loony ideas, this seems a much more realistic scenario:

Itching to visit Las Vegas again? MGM Resorts says these Strip hotels will reopen first

Viva Las Vegas

Dawn Gilbertson
USA TODAY

When will travelers be able to slide $20 bills into a slot machine, feast at a celebrity restaurant or see a show in Las Vegas again? MGM Resorts, operator of a dozen properties in the gambling and entertainment capital, can't answer that question because the decision rests in the hands of state and local officials weighing when to lift coronavirus restrictions. But on the company's quarterly earnings conference call Thursday, executives did provide the first glimpse of what visitors can expect from the chain when Las Vegas reopens.

MGM won't open all its hotels at once, but rather start with two or three targeted at different traveler budgets, acting CEO Bill Hornbuckle said. On the list right now: New York-New York Hotel & Casino, a midprice hotel on the south end of the Strip with a roller coaster, arcade and Irish pub, and Bellagio, a swank mid-Strip resort that is home to the famous fountain show, high-end shops and restaurants, a conservatory and a museum. "Then from there we're talking about what other properties should open, if any, at that point in time,'' he said. "We'll go slow. We'll be responsive and responsible.''MGM also doesn't plan to open all the restaurants at each hotel. Some will be open and there will be takeout food and beverage options, as well, he said.

Will there be any shows or sporting events? Hornbuckle said big concerts, sporting events and professional fights are likely out of the question in the near term. "I think the idea that we're going to get 15,000 people in T-Mobile (Arena) for a concert anytime this year is probably a stretch,'' he said. As for Raiders football games at the new Allegiant Stadium, in what Hornbuckle calls MGM's back yard, the initial NFL games this year might be without fans. "If we're fortunate enough to see real fans, it won't be (the stadium capacity of) 65,000,'' he said. MGM is thinking about starting small on the performances front, reopening more "intimate'' shows first. Hornbuckle cited Carrot Top's show at Luxor Hotel & Casino versus, say, a large-scale Cirque du Soleil production.

Hotel check-in and room cleaning will look different. MGM, like its competitors and most consumer businesses hoping to rebound post-pandemic, is crafting plans to make sure guests feel safe about visiting. "Getting these properties up and operating and doing it in a safe manner for both our employees and guests is priority one,'' Hornbuckle said. At check-in and elsewhere around the hotel, guests will find new "touchless'' technology. There will be more stringent cleaning and sanitizing policies, especially in guest rooms. "The protocol to clean a room in this environment is going to be intensive,'' Hornbuckle said. He said it's likely that some travelers will decline daily room cleaning during their stay, at least initially. "If I'm a guest in Bellagio, I want to know that my room is pristine when I go in,'' he said. "And during my stay, unless I want and need clean towels, I'm probably not going to let a guest-room attendant or other service personnel in my room.''

Social distancing on the casino floor. In the casino, visitors will find more space between slot machines and gaming tables. MGM is installing new carpet in its Park MGM and Aria casino hotels, Hornbuckle said, and is using that time to space things out. "So the environment will feel a little different when people walk in from Day 1,'' he said.

Does anyone want to return so soon? MGM officials said they are optimistic there's a pool of people itching to return to Las Vegas as soon as it is open. One key reason: About half of visitors drive to Vegas rather than fly and peak summer vacation season looms. "We do think there'll be some pent-up demand,'' Hornbuckle said. What the chain doesn't want, though, is a repeat of what happened in California when the beaches reopened last weekend, only to have the governor close some again in response to large crowds.

Among the first people expected to return: gamblers who receive generous offers to stay at the hotels. Bookings are strong for later this year and into next, the company said. MGM officials said frequent gamblers at high-end resorts like Bellagio are especially anxious to return. "They were the last to leave when we closed down (in mid-March),'' said Corey Sanders, MGM's chief financial officer. "I have a feeling some of them will be back the day they (the hotels) open. So that's positive.''

_____________________________________________________________________________

And another lengthier and more detailed Vegas story:

When Will Las Vegas Reopen & How It Will Look Completely Different

Viva Las Vegas #2

By Shawn Coomer
Apr 28, 2020

When Will Las Vegas Reopen?

It seems like an eternity ago, but it has only been a month and a half since the casinos of the Las Vegas Strip (and all of Nevada) shuttered due to COVID-19. As you might expect these closures have had a catasrophic impact on the Nevada economy and everyone involved wants the casinos to open as quickly as possible. So, when will Las Vegas reopen?

Let’s take a look at the tentative plans and proposals to reopen Vegas plus what Sin City might look like when the doors once again swing open to many of the world’s largest casinos & hotels.

Casinos Now Closed in Nevada

Las Vegas Casinos along with non-essential businesses are all currently closed in the state of Nevada by order of Governor Steve Sisolak. Once these businesses are allowed to reopen, the casinos should also be allowed to operate, but not all of them will come back at once.

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak in recent weeks has made it clear he intends to reopen Las Vegas as soon as it safe. On April 27, 2020 Sisolak announced that Nevada was joining the “Western States Pact” along with Colorado, California, Oregon and Nevada. “I’m honored to have?the State of Nevada?join?the Western States Pact and believe the sharing of critical information and best practices?on how to mitigate the spread, protect the health and safety of our residents,?and reopen responsibly will be invaluable as we chart our paths forward,” Sisolak said.
Western States Pact

The Western States Pact was started by California, Oregon and Washington as a collaborative effort to reopen states by sharing practical information and data. Colorado joined along with Nevada on April 27, 2020.
The pact was formed with the following 3 principles:

- Our residents’ health comes first. As home to nearly one in five Americans and gateway to the rest of the world, the West Coast has an outsized stake in controlling and ultimately defeating COVID-19.
- Health outcomes and science – not politics – will guide these decisions. Modifications to our states’ stay at home orders must be made based off our understanding of the total health impacts of COVID-19, including: the direct impact of the disease on our communities; the health impact of measures introduced to control the spread in communities —particularly felt by those already experiencing social disadvantage prior to COVID-19; and our health care systems’ ability to ensure care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This effort will be guided by data. We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening, and we will be working in coordination to identify the best metrics to guide this.
- Our states will only be effective by working together. Each state will work with its local leaders and communities within its borders to understand what’s happening on the ground and adhere to our agreed upon approach.

Additionally, the Western States pact is working towards the following 4 goals:

- Protecting vulnerable populations at risk for severe disease if infected. This includes a concerted effort to prevent and fight outbreaks in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
- Ensuring an ability to care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This will require adequate hospital surge capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment.
- Mitigating the non-direct COVID-19 health impacts, particularly on disadvantaged communities.
- Protecting the general public by ensuring any successful lifting of interventions includes the development of a system for testing, tracking and isolating. The states will work together to share best practices.

May 15 Reopening Is NOT Likely

While parts of the Las Vegas Strip could potentially open as soon as May 15, 2020 the exact reopening date is up to Nevada’s governor. The governor has suggested that sufficient testing and medical evidence will be needed to reopen Las Vegas. I suspect we may see a reopening of some small businesses in mid-May with some of the larger casinos opening towards the end of the month.

Despite the fact that some of the Las Vegas Strip may tentatively reopen as soon as May 15, 2020 that doesn’t mean that the city will open with full capacity. Considering much of the Strip is controlled by a couple of companies (Caesars Entertainment & MGM Resorts) I wouldn’t expect them to open everything all at once. Demand most likely won’t be there, so expect the possibility of a staggered re-opening of Las Vegas’ biggest casinos.

When Can You Start Booking Las Vegas Hotels?

While Las Vegas will reopen only after the Governor says so, that doesn’t mean that the Strip casinos are not preparing for the day when they can operate again. Some hotels like TI and Wynn have been aggressive in calling for a reopening while others have taken a quieter approach. These viewpoints are reflected in the dates available to book at various Strip casinos.

Here are the dates when you can book at the various Las Vegas Strip casinos:

MGM Resorts (Bellagio, Vdara, Aria, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Delano, Park MGM, Mirage, Excalibur, Luxor, NYNY) – MGM is being more conservative than other Vegas gaming companies and is taking new reservations for June 1, 2020 and after at all of their Strip properties.
Caesars Entertainment (Bally’s, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah’s, NOBU, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Rio, Cromwell, Linq) – Caesars is taking a noticeably more aggressive stance with reservations available from May 15, 2020 and after.
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Cosmo is also taking reservations for check-in Friday May 15, 2020 and after.
Wynn/Encore Las Vegas – Wynn is trying to reopen by Memorial Day. As of late April they are allowing bookings for May 22, 2020 and beyond.
Venetian/Palazzo Las Vegas – The Venetian and Palazzo are currently not accepting reservations until they have a better of idea of when they are reopening. They have said they will reopen sometime after May 31, 2020.
Tresure Island TI Hotel – TI’s owner Phil Ruffin has been very aggressive in announcing his plans to reopen on May 15, 2020. TI is taking reservations from that date forward.

I find it unlikely that Las Vegas Strip casinos will be able to reopen on May 15, 2020 unless the Governor gives them the heads up soon. Many of these properties will take weeks to prepare for opening. It would be a gamble for them to recall employees to prepare for opening only to remain closed under the Governor’s orders. I still think a June 1, 2020 partial reopening of the Las Vegas Strip is the most likely scenario.

What Will Las Vegas Be Like When It Reopens?

While we still don’t know 100% what Las Vegas will look like when it reopens, it will not be the same as before. Casinos are working on measures designed to comply with social distancing guidelines along with identifying sick individuals. Many of these measures have been implemented in Macau following its reopening.

Macau only closed its casinos for a total of 15 days, during which time they implemented measures which remain in place today. Several Las Vegas casino operators also own Macau casinos, so they have a head start on what works and doesn’t work when it comes to policies around COVID-19.

Here are some of the rumored but unconfirmed changes we might see when Las Vegas reopens:

Temperature checks to gain entry to the hotels/casinos
You may be asked to fill out a health questionnaire when checking into a hotel
Players will be spread out at tables and capacity will be limited
Crowds around the tables may not be permitted
Some machines may be turned off to enforce distancing measures
Face masks may be required for employees and/or guests
Some restaurants like buffets and crowded areas like showrooms may not be open for some time

Las Vegas Sands Announces New Procedures

While all gaming companies have said they will have additional policies in place by the time they reopen, Las Vegas Sands Corp. has already announced some of their 800 new guidelines around Covid-19. Among the changes are the hiring of a team of 25 EMTs with 1/3 of them being on site every day to help guests. Additionally, thermal cameras will be installed and additional cleaning protocols will be implemented. Rooms that housed people who eventually test positive will be taken offline and cleaned by a 3rd party.

Here are some other initiavies announced by Las Vegas Sands Corp:

Guests are welcome to wear a face mask and gloves at the resort, but masks that hide the entire face are prohibited. Sands will provide a personal face mask for hotel guests.
All staff will wear personal protective equipment — such as gloves — based on their role and responsibilities.
Every hotel suite will include a personal care kit with hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, latex gloves and a personal face mask.
Guests and staff are required to stand at least 6 feet apart while in queues, elevators or moving through the resort. Elevator lobbies will be staffed during peak hours to provide assistance — there will be a suggested limit of four guests per elevator — and additional sanitation.
Restaurant tables, slot machines, pool seating, meeting and convention center spaces and other layouts have been rearranged to promote social distancing.
There will be only four riders allowed in the gondolas at one time, and gondola pilots will wear face masks.

Will Las Vegas Still Be Fun When It Reopens?

Will a Las Vegas full of temprature checks, face masks, thermal cameras and social distancing still be fun? Las Vegas will no doubt be different than it was before, however the city has a way of adapting and mainting its relevance. I don’t expect the “What Happens Here” mentality to go away nor will the fun. It will just be a little different for awhile.
When Will Las Vegas Reopen – Bottom Line

So when will Las Vegas reopen? We can’t give you an exact date for that, however as of now nonessential businesses in Nevada (including the casinos) are closed. While some big Vegas Strip casinos are taking bookings for May 15, 2020 that date is far from certain. Las Vegas is moving towards reopening which is good news given the catastrophic impact Covid-19 has had on the Vegas economy. Barring any huge changes, expect the Las Vegas Strip to begin welcoming people within the next 2-4 weeks, but it could be longer.

Are you looking to visit Las Vegas after it reopens? Would you have any concerns about the potential new safety precautions that will be implemented? Share your thoughts in the comments!

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-04 04:25 by Hairball.

THE AGE --- 4 May 2020



ROCKMAN

Quote
Hairball
Are you looking to visit Las Vegas after it reopens? Would you have any concerns about the potential new safety precautions that will be implemented? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Realize this question is part of the article, but heading to Vegas will be a hard no for me for quite some time. I have a son and granddaughter that live in the area, so in addition to enjoying the hotel and entertainment, a drag not to be able to easily visit for a while. When I do, it will no doubt now involve driving there, and not hitting the casinos etc.

It will be difficult to monitor increases in cases out of Vegas once they open up, as so many people will fly or drive home to other states and countries.
Good on MGM for approaching this slowly, but as we've seen from numerous examples, even with distancing measures in place, the virus spreads.
The church choir rehearsal not far from me where so many got sick despite distancing proved that for me.

My wife and I have absolutely no plans to go there any time soon that's for damn sure. A shame as it was a quick getaway from reality, and an easy five hour scenic drive from home for us.
Some of the precautions mentioned in those articles will be relevant when traveling anywhere though (hotel room sanitization, etc.), not to mention the impact on large concerts, sporting events, etc, etc., etc.
Strange days are here, and will be here for quite some time. Hard to imagine anything ever being the way it was before, even when there is a vaccine...

One of my pics from our last trip there this past New Years...we were all set to go back on St. Patricks Day, but that's right around when all hell broke loose...



_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-04 08:45 by Hairball.

A lot of things that don't need to be touched can be upgraded with touch-less technology. Like using elevator buttons. Perhaps smart toilets can blast the toilet seat with strong UV radiation when they sense that nobody is in the bathroom. But people like the tactile experience with slot machines and you have to touch that gas pump handle.

Sometime in the future things will get back to normal with some changes. Look at how industry reacted to the Tylenol crisis in 1981. Now everything you buy in terms of prescription and non-prescription drugs to packaged foods has some kind of seal that has to be broken.

And ultimately it's healthy and perfectly normal for your body to be in contact with dirty surfaces. It's how you build up your natural immunity.

And you can't outlaw fun. People enjoy the cruise ship experience and I really hope the industry recovers. And BV saying that it is not environmentally friendly is a false argument. Just about anything can have that label attached to it.

Nobody wants to be the boy in the bubble.

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bitusa2012

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bv
Industries in trouble, both because of the virus and climate changes:

- Airlines
- Cruise ships

Sure we do need airliners for essential travel, but I can't see the sustainability of flying for 3-4 hours at a cost of $100, just for the pleasure of whatever reason.

Cruise ships are even worse. You don't need them to do business. They ruin every city they visit. They are bad for the environment. They are a virus trap.

The corona virus crisis makes it easier to see certain things.

Just a personal opinion.

So no more flying to see The Stones is and when they tour again BV?

First of all they might not tour in a couple of years time, and then I assume they will tour close by like UK or Europe, so I could take train and boat i.e. ground transportation.

Secondly I had already booked Amtrak and planned for quite a bit of non-airline travel already this summer.

Thirdly I would be happy to pay 5x today's price level to get to a tour in USA in 2022, if it happens, just to pay for the CO2 balance having sustainable air transportation. Then I would use Amtrak and public bus for the rest.

What I really think is wrong, is all the budget flights around the world just to get to Las Vegas to gamble, to Cancun to get a tan, or whatever, just consuming mother earth. A Stones tour is essential stuff, they might be on the UNESCO list one day!

Bjornulf

And there are events like this:

Michigan security guard shot, killed after asking customer to cover face.

News article

This thread was started on Friday Feb 28, more than two months ago. By now it has got nearly 4,000 posts and soon 300,000 views.

I would like to thank everyone for posting in a nice and friendly way. I know it is hard, some times you may get angry, some times you feel like crying out loud. Still, most of the times people are posting with respect here. Sure I have deleted a few posts, more than usual, but still not many. Thank you - it makes it possible to keep this thread open.

Bjornulf

Weekly fatality rates for selected countries

The World in general do have control of the virus now, if we can trust the numbers as reported from all countries.

Italy, Spain and France have managed to take control of the virus, and are now down to a low level of 9% increase in fatalities per week. France have had slightly stronger lockdown rules, and this is clearly seen in the faster decrease in the fatality rate.

China and South Korea have slowed down the virus almost completely. Norway is now almost at the same low level as South Korea. These are countries taking early action, before there were a lot of positive corona virus cases around.

Germany, Canada and Japan do all have higher fatality rates week by week, but the total number of cases in these countries are lower, and under control.

UK is the only country in the table with an increasing fatality rate. We will see if this is a trend next week too, or if this is accumulated numbers from previous days.



Explanation: m-08, m-15, m22, .. a-05 etc are the multiplication factor in the number of deaths week-by-week, as measured on the week ending with March-08, March-15, ..., April-19 etc.

Reference numbers:

[www.worldometers.info]

Bjornulf

Quote
bv
This thread was started on Friday Feb 28, more than two months ago. By now it has got nearly 4,000 posts and soon 300,000 views.

I would like to thank everyone for posting in a nice and friendly way. I know it is hard, some times you may get angry, some times you feel like crying out loud. Still, most of the times people are posting with respect here. Sure I have deleted a few posts, more than usual, but still not many. Thank you - it makes it possible to keep this thread open.

Thank you, BV. Apologies as I lost my composure a bit yesterday. You know my health circumstances & I just lost it a little. I work very hard on keeping my posts even handed & non-confrontational. This thread has been excellent the majority of the time & had much crucial information. I think it will still be needed in the coming days. I've referred some people who are not necessarily huge Stones fans to the thread & they have found it very good & useful.